Science

Chinese researchers have unveiled a groundbreaking ‘Zero-Carbon-Emission Direct Coal Fuel Cell’ (ZC-DCFC) that fundamentally transforms coal-based energy. Led by Xie Heping at Shenzhen University, this innovation bypasses traditional combustion – the process responsible for massive carbon emissions and energy loss in conventional power plants. By utilising electrochemical oxidation, the system converts coal’s chemical energy directly…

For years now, astronomers have been witnessing what seems like an ever-growing puzzle regarding the early formation of the universe. According to recent findings, some supermassive black holes, with masses ranging up to one billion times larger than the sun’s, were formed within less than a billion years following the formation of the universe itself….

Physicists have modelled a quantum mechanism that can result in the end of the universe through the mechanism of false vacuum decay, which is a process based on the theories of quantum field mechanics and cosmology. Scientists have examined how an unstable vacuum condition called a false vacuum can be transformed to become a true…

Asteroid study, trip duration to Mars, spacecraft propulsion in space, utilisation of asteroids, and NASA’s approach to exploring space are coming together in a way that may change the face of interplanetary travel. It has been discovered that some asteroids can be used to enable advanced propulsion systems that will cut down the duration of…

A new study by the Department of Meteorology and Geophysics at the University of Vienna has challenged many of the existing beliefs about where airborne microplastics originate from. In previous years, it was believed that most microplastics originated from the ocean, and this assumption has been refuted, based on a study published in Nature that…

Archaeologists discovered 120,000-year-old human footprints in northern Saudi Arabia, revealing a wetter, greener past. These prints, alongside those of ancient animals, suggest early humans ventured inland from Africa much earlier than previously believed, following natural waterways. The Arabian Peninsula is typically depicted as a sprawling area marked by shifting seas of golden sand and dry…

A recent underwater expedition in Kyrgyzstan’s Issyk-Kul lake has unearthed a vast, 700-year-old lost city. Researchers discovered a remarkably preserved medieval cemetery with intricate architecture and visible inscriptions, hinting at a thriving Silk Road civilization. The “Pearl of Central Asia” is an aptly named lake located in the upper reaches of the Tien Shan range…

For decades, the image of Tyrannosaurus rex has been defined by thunderous footsteps and earth-shaking chases, immortalised by films like Jurassic Park. The towering predator was imagined as a heavy, reptile-like creature, pounding across the ground with unstoppable force. New research is now challenging that long-held picture. A recent study suggests that T. rex may…

A New South Wales farmer’s routine task unearthed an extraordinary fossilized rainforest, preserved in iron-rich rock. This rare find at McGrath’s Flat offers scientists an unprecedented glimpse into a prehistoric world of giant insects and ancient flora, revealing soft-bodied details usually lost to time. On a calm day in 2024, a New South Wales farmer…

Scientists exploring off the coast of Alaska discovered a mysterious, glowing golden orb. DNA analysis revealed it to be the eggshell of an unknown marine animal, with the creature having already hatched. Image credit: NOAA Fisheries The ocean holds endless mysteries that can enchant any scientist, making them childlike with wonder at the marvels it…